If we don’t ask the right questions, we’re never going to get to the truth of any situation.
And when it comes to dating, that works in multiple ways. If we’re not curious about someone, we can build an image of them that doesn’t truly reflect who they are, and that is a recipe for disaster.
If we’re not brave enough to ask about our red lines, we’re just going to be disappointed further down the line.
In this episode of Secrets They’ll Only Tell a Matchmaker, matchmaker Gina Hendrix opens with a personal story about a man who, convinced he already knew exactly who she was, tried to start a relationship with her.
Only he'd never actually asked her a single question about herself, not her interests, her values, or how she actually lives day to day.
Men and women fall into the same trap all the time: projecting a fully formed picture onto someone before ever really getting to know them, then getting disappointed when the real person doesn't match the fantasy.
From there it's straight into calls. One caller opens up about a long-distance relationship where the split cost of a hotel left her feeling less than satisfied, another raises the same theme from a different angle, wondering how to say "I'm not comfortable with that" around money and effort without over-explaining herself.
A caller asks how to ask about a man's lifestyle without sounding like she's a gold-digger, another processes a date that didn't go anywhere, and Gina walks through how to get clarity on a phone call before a date ever happens.
We also get some top tips on getting the most from the dating apps.
The takeaway from this episode of Secrets They’ll Only Tell a Matchmaker: don't build a version of someone in your head and fall for that instead of the real person, and don't let anyone do the same to you. Ask real questions, stay curious, and keep those standards high.
New episodes every Thursday. Subscribe so you never miss the truth about men and dating. And if this one hits home share it with a girlfriend who needs to hear it.
Follow me on Instagram @MatchmakerGinaHendrix or visit my matchmaking website GinaHendrix.com
CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Introduction
(02:31) Projection in Dating
(05:43) Who Should Pay?
(10:19) Money Questions
(15:45) Divorce Status
(18:03) Dating App Choices
(25:09) Photos and Wording That Works